The present invention relates generally to transmissions for use in four-wheel drive vehicles. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a transmission having a multi-speed geartrain and a power transfer mechanism contained in a single unit.
As is known, the majority of four-wheel drive vehicles are equipped with a transfer case mounted to a multi-speed transmission for directing power from the engine to all four wheels. To accommodate different road surfaces and conditions, many transfer cases are equipped with a mode shift mechanism which permits the vehicle operator to selectively uncouple one set of wheels for establishing a two-wheel drive mode in addition to the four-wheel drive mode. In addition, some transfer cases are also equipped with a gear reduction unit for providing high-range and low-range four-wheel drive modes. Finally, some transfer cases are equipped with an interaxle differential for permitting torque proportioning and speed differentiation between the front and rear drivelines of the four-wheel drive vehicle.
In an effort to minimize the overall size of the drivetrain used in four-wheel drive vehicles, it has been proposed to utilize a transmission of a transaxle-type normally used to drive the front wheels of a front wheel drive vehicle as a four-wheel drive geartrain. In particular, British Patent No. 2,035,930 to Jones et al. teaches of rotating the front wheel drivetrain (i.e., engine and transaxle) 90.degree. such that the transaxle outputs can be interconnected to the front and rear drivelines of the motor vehicle. While such an arrangement may provide an economical drivetrain layout for a full-time four-wheel drive vehicle, the practical applications for such an arrangement are severely limited. In particular, such an arrangement does not permit the vehicle operator to selectively shift "on-the-fly" between high and low four-wheel drive modes, nor can one of the outputs be selectively disconnected from its driveline for establishing a two-wheel drive mode.
Accordingly, the need exists for a transmission which can be used in most conventional four-wheel drive applications and which permits the vehicle operator to selectively shift between the available drive modes and speed ranges.